HOOCH FOR A PARTY? "SAY IT AIN'T SO!"

I used to wonder about the wedding at Cana. We're told that that was Jesus' very first miracle. From my trips to India, I've come to realize that in some cultures, when there is to be a wedding, it's a very big deal. I mean, like, whoever you may know - may have had contact with - ever...well...it's an offense of you don't invite them. I suspect that's the way it was even back in Jesus day. The father of the bride was throwing a really bi---gg blast for his daughter.

Now I have to tread carefully here, but acknowledging that there are those who are shocked to discover that Jesus actually drank real wine (inhale! gasp!"No...really??? Yes, really. "Not just grape juice?" Get a life!

Anyway, Jesus and his disciples were invited to the reception, and as you all know, at a certain point Jesus' mom leans over and whispers in his ear, "They've run out of wine." To which, Jesus replies, essentially, "Oh, so what?" Well, I gather that Mary knew he got her point, and she simply caught one of the stewards' attention, and told him to "do whatever he says."

So there are these big crocks over in a corner. They were used during Jewish holy days. They would fill them with water, and then the Rabbi would say a blessing over the water to consecrate it, so that the people could wash all their pots and pans in the holy water, which would make them holy, and therefore the food they cooked would also be holy, and nobody would be defiled by eating defiled food. But this wasn't one of those holy days, so the pots were over there in the corner, empty. The text tells us that there were six of these big crocks, that held about thirty gallons each. Six times thirty...that's 180 gallons as I count it. And Jesus tells the steward to fill them to the brim. Right! "Yes, sir, you got it."

So the stewards fill the pots. Jesus tells them to draw some out and take it to the head waiter, in the process of which they discover that this water has turned into wine; not just any wine, but the finest kind. 180 gallons. That's some party!

So, what's the deal? What's going on here? Is Jesus' first miracle merely a frivolous demonstration of supernatural power for the sake of a party? I don't think so. Notice a few important points: First, those pots were only used to hold consecrated water that was thought to cleanse defilement from normal, day to day use in a secular manner. Second, in fact, that water never cleansed anything from spiritual defilement, whether pots or the people who used those pots. By turning that regular old normal water into the very highest grade wine, Jesus was creating a picture. Much later in His ministry, about the time of Passover, which comes around the time we celebrate as Easter week, Jesus would be eating a meal with his disciples, and he would take a cup of wine, and tell them, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood..."

By turning that water that was powerless to accomplish any sort of spiritual cleansing, into wine, symbolizing His blood. Jesus was pointing to the events that would come at the most crucial point near the end of his ministry. He was pointing us to the only thing that can, or ever could, actually cleanse from the defilement of the P/S+D (power of sin and death; namely, His shed blood on the cross freely given for "as many as would receive Him," to whom He "gave the right to become children of God..."

Far from being a frivolous act, Jesus was painting a picture of why He came, and what He came to do. Of course no one at the time had a clue what it was all about. All they knew was they now had some really good wine to drink at that wedding. Unfortunately, there aren't too many people who get it, even now. So many would be interested in the wine, but don't have any interest in its message. How many miracles does it take before a person hears the voice of God calling them to partake of the real thing.

Blessings.